- in which Madeline Moreau tries to avoid her lifelong enemy at school, yet all of her plans backfire, and she starts to get a feeling that wasn't hatred whenever her eyes lingered on him for too long.
𝕰𝖓𝖊𝖒𝖎𝖊𝖘 𝖙𝖔 𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖘
[Joseph Desca...
The presentation went... I wouldn't say that it was the best. We got a lot of laughter from the class, but Mr. Marcelin was less than amused.
In the end of our presentation, Joseph looks over at me with a big, fond smile and I can feel myself melting at the mere memory of it.
The kiss from yesterday still sticks to my brain as I sit on one of the benches, feet dangling as the memories flash around in my brain. The rain, the feeling of his lips upon mine, the way his hands nipped and pulled at my dress.
My ears and cheeks burn up and I giggle stupidly to myself like an idiot. I'm barely reading the book in front of me simply because it's caused me to be that distracted.
Oh Joseph Descamps, the effect you have on me.
"Madeline!" Someone yells, and I look up to find Simone walking towards me, Pichon right behind her. She doesn't look happy at all, and I couldn't help but wonder why she was feeling that way. As far as I know, her and Lamaziere got an average grade for their project.
"What the hell?" She demands, and I furrow my brows in confusion. Simone sits down next to me on the bench, and she points over at Pichon. "Pichon just told me that he saw you and Joseph Descamps kissing near the infirmary. Is that true?"
My eyes widen at her words and I look over at Pichon, then back at Simone. "What? How- I mean, nothing's happening between us. Pichon, why are you saying these things?"
I know that I'm not supposed to lie and turn the blame onto Pichon, and I feel bad for the guy, but I have a dignity and friendships to protect here.
Pichon stammers, not really giving me a specific answer. His eyes are darting and he's avoiding my eye contact, and I can tell that he's basically sweating buckets just from standing here. Simone looks at me with a look of suspicion, and I sigh.
"You can go Pichon, we need to talk in private." I beckon, and I've never seen Pichon run away faster. With a hefty sigh, I direct my attention back to Simone.
I've seemed to have forgotten that I haven't told Simone and Michèle about my childhood, and they don't know that I'm close to most of the people in our class. Annick did, but I'm sure it was because she's very perceptive. Simone could be perceptive at times, but Michèle...
"Madeline, you owe me an explanation," Simone urges, and I look up at her with a dejected look. "You can't just-- I feel like I've known you my whole life, but at the same time, you're so mysterious and unknown,"
Usually, being mysterious was a good thing, but probably not when you're trying to make friends.
"Simone," I start, taking a deep breath. "I've lived in this town my whole life, and my mom is a big community person. She's also really religious, and so are most other parents," Simone looks like she's listening, though I can slightly tell that she's telling me to just get to the point.
"What I'm trying to say, is that I'm 'acquaintances' with most of the boys here," I say, putting importance on acquaintances. I'm definitely not telling her that I bully them at least once a week and that I act buddy-buddy with half of them.
"Okay, and? Still doesn't cancel out the fact that Pichon told me that he saw you and Joseph Descamps kissing," Simone dead-pans, and I rack my brain on a way to get myself out of this situation.
I sigh, and bring on the last resort. Sorry Pichon. "That's just... A joke. We joke with each other a lot, and Pichon just jokes like that sometimes," I try to convince her, but Simone wasn't going to let this go down easily.
"Fine," She says, to my surprise. "But watch out around Joseph and his friends, alright? He's not good for you, and remember about your first day in school," Simone warns, and I nod, trying to seem serious.
Was Joseph really that bad in their eyes?
---
The bell rings, and it means that we get 2 weeks of winter vacation.
Even in the cluster of teens flowing out of the school gates, Joseph manages to catch me before I make my way to my bike, pulling me to the side by the school gates.
"Madeline," He acknowledges, and I can't help but grin. That was probably one of the first times he's fully said my first name, and the way it rolls off of his tongue gives me shivers.
"Joseph," I respond, and I feel my cheeks burning up. Knowing that I've just agreed to staying away from Joseph, the plan was going badly. "What do you need from me?"
He smiles widely and pulls out a piece of paper from my pockets, handing it to me. "Jean is hosting a Christmas party, and there's going to be so many people, booze and music," He says, and the visualization of the party in my head was definitely fantastic.
"It's private though, so don't invite any of your little girlfriends," His voice is oddly serious, and when I peer up at his face, he's dead-set on it. "We don't need any crybabies ruining the party just because they can't handle their alcohol or something,"
Lovely to know that on one hand, my female friends absolutely despise my male friends, and on the other hand, my male friends don't like my female friends either.
"Alright," I mutter, looking at the address on the paper before pocketing it in the side of my book bag. "I'll be there,"
He ruffles my hair affectionately, and when I look up, I can see his eye making it's way down to my lips. "Great," Joseph breathes out, and I stare at him with a light smile. Can this idiot act any more obvious?
We stand there in mutual silence before I point over to my bike. "I'm going to bike home before it rains, so--"
He nods as if he's just realized that he's been holding me waiting, and the teeniest murmur leaves his lips. "You look pretty,"
I turn back, tilting my head in curiosity. Did he really say what I thought he said? "What?"
"Uh, I said you look shitty," Joseph quickly says, stumbling backwards and walking away. An unprecedented laugh leaves my lips, and I turn around to continue my way over to my bike.
Oh Josie, you complete buffoon.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
- Party party woooooo
- A bit of a boring chapter tho SORRY
- but if any of y'all know the reference in the last scene shhhhh
